The disclosure relates to improved fireplace surrounds with or without a mantel assembly and to methods of installation to provide a fireplace assembly.
It is desirable in many homes and other locations to install a fireplace for heating purposes and for desirable visual aesthetic effect. It is common for fireplaces, such as gas fuel fireplaces, to be provided as self-contained units for installation in extremely close proximity to combustible materials. These fireplaces typically have a door for enclosing a fireplace opening with the door often being transparent so that the burning flame can be seen by occupants of the location where the fireplace is being operated.
It is common to provide a decorative fireplace surround along the boundaries of the fireplace. The fireplace may have a projecting flange adjacent to a fireplace opening against which the surround abuts when installed. Typically, the surround is of a non-combustible material such as a cementous backer board overlaid with brick or tile facing for a visually pleasing effect. A hearth may be installed beneath the fireplace opening and may extend into the room. The hearth may be a raised hearth or inset into the flooring. The fireplace may also be recessed into a wall of a room or may project outwardly into the room.
A typical surround has first and second surround leg portions and a surround breast plate portion, which may be straight or curved, extending between the surround leg portions. The surround breast plate portion is commonly co-extensive in width with the outer edges of the surround leg portions and is mounted to the surround leg portions. A combined single piece surround having leg and breast plate portions may be provided. In addition, the surround may have a lower cross-piece portion for positioning beneath the fireplace opening in the event the fireplace is raised off of the floor.
In a common installation approach, an inventory of multiple fireplace surrounds is provided with surround legs being spaced at various distances apart in the different models of surrounds to accommodate fireplace openings of different widths. This can require a substantial inventory of fireplace surrounds. In addition, to adjust the height of a fireplace surround, it is common practice to saw or otherwise cut enough from the bottom of the surround legs, for example using a rotary saw with a masonry blade, to thereby establish the height of the surround breast portion at a desired elevation. Once the surround and hearth have been installed, a mantel is typically assembled in place.
A need exists for an improved fireplace assembly and method.
The present invention relates to new and unobvious features and method acts and steps as set forth herein, both alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another. The invention is not limited to an apparatus and/or method requiring all the elements and method acts set forth herein or any specific combinations or sub-combinations thereof. The invention is defined by the claims below.
In accordance with one aspect of an embodiment, a fireplace installation assembly comprises a base which defines at least one surround receiving opening extending below an upper surface of the base. A fireplace surround comprises first and second surround leg portions and a surround top portion. The surround leg and top portions may be of unitary, monolithic, one-piece construction. However, desirably the surround leg portions are moveable relative to the top portion to adjust the spacing between the leg portions to accommodate fireplace openings of different widths. The surround leg portions may be slidably coupled to the surround top portion to facilitate this width adjustment.
The surround leg portions may have lower end portions which are inserted into the at least one opening of the base with the extent of insertion of the first and second surround leg portions into the opening adjusting the height of the fireplace surround.
In according with another aspect of an embodiment, the base may be of a plural piece construction with a portion of the surround opening defined by a first section of the base and a portion of the surround opening defined by a second section of the base.
The at least one surround opening may comprise plural surround openings such as first and second elongated slots, one being positioned to receive a lower end portion of a first surround leg and the other being positioned to receive a lower end portion of a second surround leg. If a surround has in excess of two lower leg end portions, the first and second openings may be supplemented by additional openings to receive any such additional lower leg end portions.
The surround receiving opening may be elongated and extend parallel to the front edge portion of the base. Alternatively, the fireplace may have a front and the base may have a width dimension which extends in a direction which is parallel to the fireplace front. The opening may comprise first and second elongated slots which extend lengthwise in the width direction.
In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, the fireplace may be of the type which has a fireplace projection which extends outwardly from at least a top portion of the fireplace. The fireplace projection may alternatively comprise a flange which extends continuously around the boundary of a fireplace opening or only along portions of the boundary. In an embodiment where the fireplace has a projection extending outwardly from at least an upper portion of the fireplace, the top surround portion may comprise an insertion limiter which is adapted for coupling to the fireplace projection to limit the downward insertion of the lower surround leg end portions into the base. The insertion limiter may take any convenient form and may simply comprise a lower edge portion of the top surround portion which is positioned for coupling to or engagement with the top fireplace projection. The fireplace projection may also comprise respective projection portions positioned for coupling to the respective surround leg portions. The surround may also comprise a lower surround portion which extends, for example, beneath the fireplace opening and between the first and second surround leg portions in the event the fireplace is raised, for example, relative to the base.
As another aspect of an embodiment, the first and second surround leg portions may each comprise an outer surround leg upright edge portion and an inner surround leg upright edge portion. The respective inner surround leg upright edge portions may be positioned along the respective sides of the fireplace opening. Also, the top surround portion may comprise an upper top surround edge portion and a lower top surround edge portion. The lower top surround edge portion may be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the top of the fireplace opening. A mantel assembly may also be provided.
A mantel assembly, if present, may comprise a first mantel side portion for coupling to the first surround leg portion; a second mantel side portion for coupling to the second surround leg portion; and a mantel breast portion for coupling the first and second mantel side portions together. The mantel breast portion comprises a lower mantel breast edge portion which may be positioned to cover a portion of the upper top surround edge portion. The mantel assembly may also comprise a mantel shelf coupled to the first and second mantel side portions and to the mantel breast portion. Other mantel components may be used in alternative mantel constructions.
As a specific aspect of an embodiment, in one form the mantel side portions may each define respective channels or slots. The outer surround leg upright edge portion of the first surround leg may be positioned at least partially in the slot or channel of the first mantel side portion. In addition, the outer surround leg upright edge portion of the second surround leg portion may be positioned at least partially in a channel or slot defined by the second mantel side portion.
The components of a fireplace assembly in accordance with these embodiments may be installed in various orders. Desirably, the base is placed onto a floor of a room. The fireplace is positioned onto an upper surface of the base. The space between the first and second surround leg portions of a fireplace surround is adjusted to position the respective leg portions adjacent to the respective sides of a fireplace or fireplace opening. The lower end portions of the respective first and second surround leg portions are positioned below the upper surface of the base to thereby position a lower edge portion of a surround top piece at a desired elevation relative to the floor of the room. The elevation of the top surround portion in this embodiment is determined by the extent to which the lower end portions of the respective first and second surround leg portions are positioned below the upper base surface.
The installation may be accomplished in the order set forth in the preceding paragraph. Alternatively, other installation sequences may be used. For example, the spacing between the surround leg portions may be adjusted prior to or following the positioning of the lower end portions below the upper surface of the base. The act of positioning the lower end portions desirably comprises inserting the lower end portions into at least one opening defined by the base.
A mantel may also be assembled and desirably is assembled after the fireplace surround is in position. Alternatively, the mantel may be provided with recesses, channels or slots to permit the installation of the surround, for example insertion of the surround from above, following the positioning of mantel sides and a mantel breast portion.
The invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described herein. The invention again is directed toward new and unobvious elements, features, method acts and steps alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof as set forth in the claims below.